Konark Dance in Orissa

Konark Dance Festival started in the year 1986 at Konark Natya Mandap by its Founder-Director Padmashree Guru Gangadhar Pradhan. In a sense it can be called the harbinger of the contemporary festivals of Orissa. The sole aim behind this festival is to bring in many artistes into its cultural family and creating of international cultural amity and brotherhood.

This festival has established its own unique identity in the sense that eminent artistes of national and international repute participate and perform Odissi, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniattam and other classical, folk & tribal dances/music of our country on the enchanting stage of the Natyashala in the monumental Sun Temple, Konark. The stage and the atmosphere is magnified by the spiritual and aesthetic flavor, in the natural ambience of casuarinas and cashew trees. This festival is held every year from 19th to 23rd February.

This festival has established its own uniqueness in the sense that talented dancers and their troupes of national and international reputation join and perform Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, Manipuri, Mohiniattam, Chhau and other tribal, folk and classical dances on the fascinating stage of the Konark Natyashala. It is a common platform to witness various forms of Indian classical dances. For five days, this World Heritage Site echo's with the beats of Phakawaj, the tune of flute and the rhythmic sounds of ghungroos combine to transcend one into a fantasy. The pits of the platform opened to the sky resembling some sorts of stage performance in the famous Shakespearean era.